She wanted her baby to know her father. He shot her while she pushed the stroller.
A Manhattan jury took just two hours to convict Isaac Argro for the 2022 murder of Azsia Johnson on the Upper East Side.
When we try to do the right thing for our children, we expect to be safe. Azsia Johnson lost her life because she wanted her baby girl to know her father.
WHAT HAPPENED
Azsia Johnson was 22 years old and lived in an East Harlem shelter. She went there to escape her ex-boyfriend, Isaac Argro. She filed many police reports because he stalked and hurt her.
On June 29, 2022, Johnson agreed to meet Argro on the Upper East Side. She wanted her three-month-old daughter to see her dad. This was only the second time Argro had ever met the baby.
As Johnson pushed her daughter in a stroller, Argro walked up and shot her in the head. He ran away and police caught him two days later. On May 28, 2026, a jury found Argro guilty of murder.
What the evidence shows
- Azsia Johnson lived in an East Harlem domestic violence shelter.
- She filed multiple police reports detailing stalking and abuse by Argro.
- The shooting happened on June 29, 2022, on the Upper East Side.
- Argro shot Johnson at point-blank range while she pushed a stroller.
- The jury reached a guilty verdict in less than 2 hours.
THE BIGGER QUESTION
How does a young mother who did everything right still end up unprotected? She left her abuser, lived in a shelter, and called the police. We must ask how our system can better protect parents who try to safely share custody.
THE OTHER SIDE
Argro's defense lawyer did not give a public statement after the verdict. During the trial, the defense argued against the murder charges. The swift two-hour jury decision shows that the defense arguments did not stand up well against the state's evidence.
WHAT HAPPENS NOW
Argro is in custody and will face court for his sentencing on June 18, 2026. This verdict brings some justice to Johnson's family. Still, her two young children must now grow up without their mother.
WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW
- Why did the police fail to stop Argro after multiple reports?
- How can New York make child visits safer for abuse victims?
- What support will the two children receive as they grow up?
Transparency notes
Published: May 30, 2026. No major post-publication update has been logged.
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Sources
External source links were not provided in this article body. Our editors reference publicly available materials and update stories as new verified information arrives.